The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) is an international organization within which governments and the private sector coordinate global telecommunication networks and services.
The ITU was founded in 1865 and became a United Nations agency in 1947. It is responsible for developing international treaties, regulations and standards governing telecommunications. The standardization functions were formerly performed by a group within the ITU called CCITT, but after a 1992 reorganization the CCITT no longer exists as a separate body.